Who wins tonight’s Derby? Key stats offer hint

The Lineup: Pregame Edition

Monday, July 13

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2026 T-Mobile Home Run Derby participants

Welcome to The Pregame Lineup, a weekday newsletter that gets you up to speed on everything you need to know for today’s games, while catching you up on fun and interesting stories you might have missed. Today we have a special Home Run Derby edition of the newsletter.

We’re just a few hours away from the Home Run Derby. Before the dingers start flying out of Citizens Bank Park, we wanted to give you a little primer on the Derby contestants.

First things first: Here’s the official batting order for the Derby. 

Each slugger is listed with their first half home run total, and if you want to watch their longest home runs, we’ve got that, too.

  1. Willson Contreras (Red Sox) — 20 HRLongest HR of 2026: 449 feet. Career: 491 feet 
  2. Jordan Walker (Cardinals) — 22 HRLongest HR of 2026/career: 459 feet 
  3. Jac Caglianone (Royals) — 15 HRLongest HR of 2026: 444 feet. Career: 466 feet
  4. Kyle Schwarber (Phillies) — 32 HR
    Longest HR of 2026: 460 feet. Career: 488 feet 
  5. Ben Rice (Yankees) — 29 HR
    Longest HR of 2026: 433 feet. Career: 435 feet 
  6. Junior Caminero (Rays) — 28 HR
    Longest HR of 2026/career: 463 feet
  7. Munetaka Murakami (White Sox) — 20 HRLongest HR of 2026/career: 451 feet 
  8. Bryce Harper (Phillies) — 20 HR
    Longest HR of 2026: 457 feet. Statcast era: 473 feet  

Which one of those eight guys will win it all? Here are the key stats to make the case for each Home Run Derby participant:

Willson Contreras 

Contreras has the longest career homer of any hitter in the 2026 Derby field — the 491-footer he smashed high off the Wrigley Field scoreboard in the 2017 playoffs. But even almost a decade later, he can still let it rip. Contreras’ 77 mph average bat speed in 2026 is sixth best among right-handed hitters, and so is his 70.9% fast-swing rate (that’s how often he reaches a 75-plus mph bat speed). 

Jordan Walker 

Walker’s bat speed is next best in the Majors after Caminero’s, at 79.2 mph, and he turns those fast swings into top-tier exit velocities. Walker’s 94.2 mph average exit velo this season is top-five in MLB, behind only Cruz, James Wood, Yordan Alvarez and Elly De La Cruz.

Jac Caglianone 

Of the 130 hitters with at least 10 home runs this season, Caglianone is tied for the second-longest average home run distance at 414 feet, behind only Mickey Moniak, who plays at Coors Field. Almost three quarters of his home runs are no-doubters, giving him the fourth-highest rate of no-doubter home runs in the Majors.

Kyle Schwarber 

Schwarber has hit 17 home runs 450 feet or farther since he joined the Phillies in 2022. He’s one of only four hitters with 10 or more 450-footers, along with Shohei Ohtani (19), Aaron Judge (18) and Ronald Acuña Jr. (15). Schwarbs has eight 450-foot homers alone since the start of last season — double any other hitter (Judge, Acuña and Oneil Cruz have four each). 

Ben Rice 

The way to win a Home Run Derby is to pull the ball in the air — especially for a lefty slugger at hitter-friendly Citizens Bank Park — and Rice is going to do that. His 19 pulled home runs this season are tied for third most in the Majors, behind only his fellow Derby contestant Schwarber (25) and All-Star Hunter Goodman (20). 

Junior Caminero 

It should be no surprise that elite bat speed produces electric Home Run Derby displays, and Caminero has the very best bat speed in the Majors. He ranks No. 1 this season with an average swing speed of 79.9 mph. That’s even better than last season, when he finished as the Derby runner-up — Caminero ranked second in 2025 with a 78.5 mph bat speed. Caminero is also tied for the most “no-doubters” this season — home runs that would be gone at all 30 ballparks — with 19.

Munetaka Murakami 

Murakami’s elite power has translated seamlessly from Japan to the Major Leagues. He ranks third in the Majors with a 20% barrel rate and second in the Majors with a 59.2% hard-hit rate. Murakami is one of only four hitters averaging at least 100 mph on his fly balls and line drives, along with Wood, Judge and Nick Kurtz. Hitting the ball that hard in the air is a great sign for the Home Run Derby.

Bryce Harper 

Harper has been doing this a long time. He has the sixth-most barrels of any hitter since Statcast started tracking in 2015 — those are balls with the ideal exit velocity and launch angle to turn into home runs. Harper’s 546 barrels rank behind only Judge, Freddie Freeman, Manny Machado, Ohtani and Schwarber. 

 

ALL THE KEY INFO FOR THE 2026 DERBY

2026 Home Run Derby bracket

We put together a handy Home Run Derby FAQwith all the important details for tonight’s contest. 

That includes info on when and how to watch, the lineup of players participating this year, details of the 2026 Derby format — which is different from years past — where to track every swing of the Derby, what happens if there’s a tie and a refresher on Home Run Derby history and last year’s results.

If you need to brush up on anything before the Home Run Derby starts, check out that guide.

And for more must-read Home Run Derby content, see our Derby Power Rankings of all eight contestants, and how a new metric called “Dinger Score” could help predict the Derby winner. 

LAST CHANCE TO PLAY HR DERBY PICK ‘EM

T-Mobile Home Run Derby Pick 'Em

Think you can predict this year’s Derby winner? Enter the T-Mobile Home Run Derby Pick ‘Em Challenge and you could win $100,000.

Fill out your picks for the Home Run Derby here — but do it fast. The game closes at 8 p.m. ET. 

ALL-STAR GAME STARTING LINEUPS ANNOUNCED

2026 All-Star Game FAQ

We’ll take a quick break from all things Home Run Derby to bring you an update on tomorrow’s All-Star Game.

The American League and National League starting lineups were announced this afternoon — with Mike Trout and Kyle Schwarber leading off. Here are the full batting orders for both teams. 

AMERICAN LEAGUE 

  1. Mike Trout, CF (Angels)
  2. Yordan Alvarez, DH (Astros)
  3. Shea Langeliers, C (A’s)
  4. Junior Caminero, 3B (Rays)
  5. Bobby Witt Jr., SS (Royals)
  6. Cody Bellinger, RF (Yankees)
  7. Ben Rice, 1B (Yankees)
  8. Riley Greene, LF (Tigers)
  9. Ernie Clement, 2B (Blue Jays)
  • Dylan Cease, RHP (Blue Jays)

NATIONAL LEAGUE 

  1. Kyle Schwarber, DH (Phillies)
  2. Juan Soto, LF (Mets)
  3. Freddie Freeman, 1B (Dodgers)
  4. CJ Abrams, SS (Nationals)
  5. Max Muncy, 3B (Dodgers)
  6. Ozzie Albies, 2B (Braves)
  7. Brandon Marsh, RF (Phillies)
  8. Andy Pages, CF (Dodgers)
  9. Drake Baldwin, C (Braves)
  • Cristopher Sánchez, LHP (Phillies)

See our complete All-Star Game FAQ here >> 

WHO’S PITCHING TO THE DERBY CONTESTANTS?

Pitchers throwing to 2026 Home Run Derby contestants

No Home Run Derby slugger can do it alone. They all need a great pitcher throwing them nice, juicy meatballs that they can launch out of the park. 

Here’s who’s pitching to each of the eight Derby contestants tonight:

Willson Contreras: Red Sox interim bench coach José David Flores

Flores and Contreras go back all the way to their years together with the Cubs, starting their relationship in 2013 when Contreras was in the Minors. Contreras said Flores is one of the best BP pitchers “I’ve had in my life.”

Jordan Walker: Cardinals bullpen catcher Kleininger Teran

Teran, the longtime bullpen catcher for the Cardinals, also threw to Albert Pujols in the 2022 Derby, helping guide him to the semifinals.

Jac Caglianone: Dad, Jeff Caglianone

Caglianone’s dad has always been his main BP pitcher during the offseason. And guess who else likes Jeff’s BP? None other than two-time Home Run Derby champion Pete Alonso, who went to the same high school as Jac.

Kyle Schwarber: Phillies assistant hitting coach Rafael Pena

Schwarber has been hitting off Pena in the batting cage for the last two years. That BP has translated into 88 in-game homers over that time.

Ben Rice: Dad, Dan Rice 

Rice’s dad, a former pitcher at Brown University, has been throwing batting practice to him his whole life. Even now, Dan still throws to Ben in the offseason. As Ben said: “His lifetime pitch count is through the roof at this point.”

Junior Caminero: Rays Major League field coordinator Tomas Francisco

Francisco was Caminero’s pitcher when he finished as the runner-up to Cal Raleigh in last year’s Home Run Derby, and he was also former Rays slugger Randy Arozarena’s pitcher in his Derby runner-up finish in 2023.

Munetaka Murakami: White Sox Major League coach Luis Sierra

Sierra was on the mound for Luis Robert Jr. in the 2023 Home Run Derby, when the then-White Sox slugger launched 28 home runs in the first round to beat Adley Rutschman.

Bryce Harper: Dodgers third base coach Dino Ebel

When Harper won the 2018 Home Run Derby with the Nationals at Nationals Park, it was his dad Ron throwing to him. This time it’s Ebel, who was with Harper at the World Baseball Classic — and helped his teammate Schwarber go 3-for-3 in the tiebreaking Derby-style swing-off at last year’s All-Star Game. 

WATCH DERBY BATTING PRACTICE LIVE

Watch the T-Mobile Home Run Derby Batting Practice Show

Tune in to get up close with MLB’s biggest sluggers with the T-Mobile Batting Practice Show. 

The show starts at 6 p.m. ET. 

 

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Published by RJ Hamster

I was born on 6 August 1956 in San Francisco, California to Janet and (the late) Richard Hovis. I grew up in Santa Monica, California where I attended elementary, junior high school, and high school (graduating in 1974), in addition to involvement in sports and recreation (Little League +, the Boy’s Club ++). Further, it was in elementary school – St. Augustine’s By-the -Sea Parish School that I found, and made the choice to truly journey with God. I attended Arizona State University from 1974 to 1977 – seeking to become an architect, however, I was not accepted, and, as such, I graduated with a Liberal Arts degree. Upon graduation from Arizona State University, I attended Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and studied City and Regional Planning at the Master’s level. I successfully completed one (1) year in a two (2) year program – I did not complete the Master’s degree in City and Regional Planning – due to personal reasons. I returned to Santa Monica where I started (October 1979) my career as graphic designer with Exxon Company, USA. I spent five years with Exxon Company, USA. While working with Exxon Company, USA I was accepted into architectural school – Sci-Arc in Southern California, however, I did not attend preferring to stay with Exxon.. In 1982 I married Laura Flosi and in April 1983 we had our one and only child – Lauren Alain Hovis – a gift from God. We moved to Phoenix, Arizona in 1984 from Los Angeles, where I went to work as a graphic designer with Kitchell CEM (from 1985 -1987). From 1987 – 1995 I was an independent contractor, and a registered representative in mortgage finance, financial management, graphic design, and drafting. Further, I attended the University of Phoenix and successfully obtained a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) in 1982. I was also a member of the Scottsdale Jaycees, where I became very involved in community events and projects. In 1994, I accepted a cartography position with the Defense Mapping Agency in Reston, Virginia. As such, I relocated from Phoenix to Reston. In 1998, I was accepted and worked as a Visual Information Officer with the Central Intelligence Agency. In 2002, I worked as a Support Officer until my retirement (due to a need for shoulder surgery) in September 2018. Away from my Federal Government service, I have been involved in various organizations and activities in Northern Virginia. In November of 2011, I married Rebecca Ouellette in Santa Monica, California. I reside in San Tan Valley, AZ with my two hamster - Jess and Timothy, our fish, our lizard - RJ Lizard., and our cats - Pearl and Grey. As to hobbies, I enjoy playing sports, attending sporting events, mentoring individuals from financial management to hamsters, building models, photography, travel, multimedia design, managing partner for RJ Hamster, and jazz – smooth jazz to a samba or a bossa nova. Love and God Bless, Peter – aka RJ Hamster Jo hi

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